The amount of time it takes for a non-volatile memory element to service or perform a storage operation may include time spent actually sensing or changing physical properties of non-volatile storage cells to read or write the data, time spent transferring the data on a data bus, and additional latency in the data path for moving data internally within the non-volatile memory element. As speeds increase for non-volatile media and for data buses, less time is spent actually reading and transferring the data, and the data path latency becomes more significant. Additionally, the significance of data path latency is further increased as access is provided to data in smaller units (e.g., in a manner more like a fast byte-addressable volatile memory and less like a slow, sector-addressable hard drive). For example, a latency period that may be reasonable for an operation that provides access to a large block of data may be far too long for an operation that provides access to a few bytes of data in a small burst.